‘Jersey Shore’ Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino Gets 8 Months Prison

Newark, New Jersey, USA : “Jersey Shore” star Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino was sentenced to eight months in federal prison for tax evasion, after he pleaded guilty with his brother to filing falsified tax returns on nearly $9 million. Sorrentino will also serve two years of supervised release, 500 hours of community service and pay a $10,000 fine. He was not taken into custody after his sentencing and will arrange a surrender date with the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

The reality star was initially indicted with his brother, Marc, for tax offenses and conspiring to defraud the United States in 2014 but the Department of Justice added charges last year. Marc Sorrentino was sentenced to two years in prison for his role in the fraud.

Gregg Mark, Michael Sorrentino’s accountant, admitted to filing the fraudulent returns in December 2015 in a Newark, New Jersey, federal court. The accountant admitted to defrauding the government out of $550,000 to $1.5 million in tax revenue. Mark has not yet been sentenced.

The government included charges of tax evasion and structuring funds to evade currency transaction reports in April of 2017. Sorrentino and his brother created businesses to exploit the reality star’s celebrity status and did not pay the required income tax on the $8.9 million Sorrentino earned between 2010 and 2012.

Sorrentino failed to file a personal tax return in 2011, instead filed a false corporate return for Situation Nation Inc. and concealing his cash income. Sorrentino made multiple cash deposits in amounts less than $10,000 into different bank accounts on the same day in order to evade bank reporting regulations, according to his 2017 indictment.

The entire cast of “Jersey Shore” went to Sorrentino’s sentencing on Friday in a show of support.

Sorrentino skyrocketed into fame in 2009 after being cast in MTV’s reality series “Jersey Shore.” The show featured a group of young men and women living a house in Seaside, New Jersey, while working at a local t-shirt printing business. Sorrentino and the rest of the cast engaged in excessive partying and binge drinking on the show.”Jersey Shore” went on for six seasons before its cancellation in 2012.

The show was revived by MTV earlier this year as “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation.” Sorrentino returned to film the series despite his legal and personal issues. The star became addicted to painkillers after a 2010 injury on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” and entered rehab for the first time two years later. Sorrentino entered rehab again 2015 after cracking his ribs triggered a relapse.

Michael Sorrentino – better known as “The Situation” in the reality television series, ‘Jersey Shore’ – faces prison time, together with his brother, Marc Sorrentino, after they pleaded guilty to violating federal tax laws. Michael Sorrentino, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion and Marc Sorrentino, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding in the preparation of a fraudulent tax return.

Michael Sorrentino admitted that in tax year 2011, he earned taxable income, including some that was paid in cash, and that he concealed a portion of his income to evade paying the full amount of taxes he owed. He also made cash deposits into bank accounts in amounts less than $10,000, in an effort to ensure that these deposits would not come to the attention of the IRS.

Marc Sorrentino admitted that for tax year 2010, he earned taxable income and that he assisted his accountants in preparing his personal tax return by willfully providing them with false information and fraudulently underreporting his income.

U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton scheduled sentencing for April 25. Michael Sorrentino faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison for tax evasion. Marc Sorrentino faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison for aiding in the preparation of a fraudulent tax return. Both also face a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. Gregg Mark, the accountant for the Sorrentino brothers, previously pleaded guilty in 2015 to conspiring to defraud the United States with respect to their tax liabilities.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman said:

“Today’s pleas are a reminder to all individuals to comply with the tax laws, file honest and accurate returns and pay their fair share. The Tax Division is committed to continuing to work with the IRS to prosecute those who seek to cheat the system, while honest hardworking taxpayers play by the rules.

What the defendants admitted to today, quite simply, is tantamount to stealing money from their fellow taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Carpenito. “All of us are required by law to pay our fair share of taxes. Celebrity status does not provide a free pass from this obligation.”

As we approach this year’s filing season, today’s guilty pleas should serve as a stark reminder to those who would attempt to defraud our nation’s tax system. No matter what your stature is in our society, everyone is expected to play by the rules, and those who do not will be held accountable and brought to justice.”

Michael Sorrentino was a reality television personality who gained fame on “The Jersey Shore,” which first appeared on the MTV network. According to documents and information provided to the court, he and his brother, Marc, created businesses, such as MPS Entertainment LLC and Situation Nation Inc., to take advantage of Michael’s celebrity status.